Tag: awards

Port of Leith Housing chief nominated for business award

Keith Anderson newer177292 (2)

Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA) Chief Executive Keith Anderson has been shortlisted for a prestigious Scottish Business Award. Mr Anderson has been nominated for the Social Entrepreneur of the Year award in recognition for his achievement in helping to address the capital’s lack of affordable homes.

Port of Leith Housing Association was formed in 1975 and is now, with over 2400 homes, the largest social landlord in Leith. PoLHA is currently building four new developments for social and mid-market rent across the north Edinburgh area.

Keith Anderson said: “Naturally I’m delighted to have been shortlisted for such an honour. Everyone has the right to a home and as a social landlord there is the responsibility to ensure this happens, which is why we are committed to building good quality, affordable properties in north Edinburgh.”

He added: “There is no denying that it is a challenging time for social housing providers. New models of funding are desperately required to meet growing demand; combatting homelessness is high on the agenda, not to mention managing the consequences of Westminster’s welfare reform agenda. If the solutions to these problems were easy we would be doing them right now, but we are determined to play a positive role identifying better solutions.”

The award ceremony takes place on 21 June at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre,  with former American President Bill Clinton as keynote speaker.

Local lecturer raises the roof at world championships

An Edinburgh College lecturer has helped Team GB win a prestigious award at the World Championship for Young Roofers.

Bob Coutts, Roofing Lecturer, from Edinburgh College Granton Campus mentored the team of young roofers during the three day competition which took place in Lucerne, Switzerland and the fantastic effort from the team in during a freestyle roofing task saw them win the President’s Prize award.

The team impressed the judges with its creative natural slate work on a pitched roof with a dormer shed, beating off stiff competition from 11 other countries including Switzerland, Germany and Austria.

As well as the freestyle section, which is optional for team, Team GB entered two teams in the Pitched Roofing and Waterproofing categories and was narrowly pipped to a medal where Switzerland who took home the top prize in both.

Bob, who has been a lecturer in Roofing at Edinburgh College for over 35 years, as well as mentoring the GB team since 2002, said: “A big ‘well done’ to all of the young GB roofers who took part this year and they should be very proud of the work they completed and taking home this fantastic award.

“Being involved in projects and competitions such as this, helps students broaden their skills set and open their minds and creativity to different ways of working and thinking in the sector they are interested in. The competition really sets the bar in allowing students to see what they can achieve and it is a great boost for the students and indeed Edinburgh College.”

Since he started mentoring Team GB in the World Championship for Young Roofers, Bob has represented Edinburgh College and Great Britain in Russia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Belgium, South Africa and Ireland and has helped secure two bronze medal s in Dublin 2002 and Cape Town 2005 and a Gold medal in Belfast in 2010.

The affiliation with the championships has ensured that Edinburgh College now has a stellar reputation throughout Europe as a leading education body.

Now in its 24th year, the World Championships for Young Roofers is organized by the International Federation for the Roofing Trade (IFD) and the competition sees team from all over Europe compete in three categories; Pitched Roofing, Metal Roofing and Waterproofing or Flat roofing, as well as an optional freestyle category where the teams can compete for the President’s Prize.

This year the event was hosted by the Swiss National Federation of Roofing Contractors and in order to test their skills to comply with Swiss specifications the UK team were given the opportunity to train in the host country for two weeks, helping them adhere to the national standards and use of unfamiliar materials and methods..

 

Award for Gala organisers

West Pilton and Muirhouse Community Gala’s committee have received an award for their achievements. The group, which managed to plan, organise and deliver a very succesful Gala in just a few short weeks (an even arranged some sunshine!), was highly commended at this week’s Children and Families Achievement Awards at the Assembly Rooms.

Committee chair Sean Gardiner said: “We were nominated for the award by Edinburgh Council’s local Community Learning and Development team and, out of 8000 entries, we were selected as finalists. The event was hosted by Grant Stott (pictured below at the Gala) from Forth One who was extremely happy to see an event he had been involved in had gone so far!”

 

Green award for Drylaw gardeners

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre is being celebrated by national environmental volunteering charity, The Conservation Volunteers. As part of the charity’s regional Green Heroes Awards, Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre is being recognised for the positive environmental impact it has made in Edinburgh. 

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre was presented with the Community Award and was chosen for their outstanding commitment to volunteering and inspiring positive environmental change in Edinburgh with The Conservation Volunteers.

Elizabeth Graham, Community Engagement Coordinator at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre (picured above, left) said: “Our volunteers put a lot of hard work and enthusiasm into the gardening project so it is great for this to be recognised by TCV. Everyone is welcome to come and help in the garden so we are a diverse group of people and everyone plays their part. Our main focus this year, thanks to funding from Scottish Natural Heritage, has been recording the species we have and building on this to increase the biodiversity of the area.”

Through their involvement in local conservation projects, Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre has created a wildflower meadow, planted a wildlife hedge, worked with two local schools to help them grow their own, and planted two community-managed orchards.

The Conservation Volunteers’ Green Heroes Awards recognise winners from six categories: Partnership, Volunteer of the Year, Project Leader, Community, Green Skills and European awards.

Chris Peach, TCV Scotland who nominated Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre said: “We’re delighted to be acknowledging Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre who has given such an enormous amount of time and energy to conservation in Edinburgh. Without Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre providing their unwavering support and commitment we would not be able to enjoy the green spaces in Edinburgh we love and use every day. We hope that by highlighting the work of Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, it will inspire others to get involved in protecting the green spaces in Edinburgh and ensure that they remain here for future generations to enjoy.”

For more information about the Conservation Volunteers’ Green Heroes Awards visit: www.tcv.org.uk

Wood you believe it? Green award for Oaklands

Oaklands School’s Millennium Wood scooped a prize when it was named runner up in the schools section of Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards last week.  Oaklands’ wood has only been growing for three years but the judges were clearly impressed and the school now has £250 to invest in improving their environment even more.

The cheque was presented by Bonnie Maggio of Scotland’s Finest Woods charity at a special assembly at Oaklands last week. Guest of honour at the event was Susan Walsh (pictured above right with her son Oscar), who with her family has done so much to support the Oaklands Millennium Wood project. The former Principal Teacher of Art at Fettes College worked with Oaklands over five years, seeing the garden grow and develop, and Susan and her family are now moving on to a new life in Canada.

They leave with a lot of love and good wishes, and they leave behind a growing, thriving wee area of peaceful woodland in North Edinburgh.